Whether you’re the park manager or a private homeowner, a complete mobile home inspection checklist will prove helpful.
So that’s why we’ve decided to compile a thorough checklist. We’ll lay out the checklist in an organized structure, detailing areas that you should check. We’ll also explain which areas will come under the scrutiny of a professional inspection.
As you sift through this list, you’ll notice that some things require a professional’s assessment, but doing it yourself as a precaution will save you money and time when a professional does examine your home.
The mobile home inspection checklist is divided into categories — interior and exterior. We will follow this organized list pattern for the rest of the article too.
Interior
Plumbing
If you have water leaks in your home, it may be an issue with the pipes, water lines, sink, appliances, faucets, or refrigerator waterline.
Check your pipes and be swift to resolve any issues.
Electrical wiring
Test out all the outlets, appliances and light switches. Be sure they are working. If not, you may need to reach out to an electrical company.
Windows and doors
Here’s another thing to look out for — windows and doors can prove a huge culprit in energy waste if things aren’t sealed tight. Check the caulk and add some spray insulation in large gaps if needed.
Exterior
Flashing
Flashing is a thin material that covers cross-section where the roof meets the exterior wall, for instance. The flashing keeps water from penetrating the home through these gaps in the construction.
Without flashing or with loose flashing, your home is susceptible to water damage.
Exterior trim and panel
Are you missing any trim or panel pieces? Do they feel loose? High winds and foul weather can do a number of damages on your home if these are left unattended. Water damage and worse can strike at your home.
Roofing
See any water leaks on the inside of your home, on the ceiling? There may be an issue with your roof. Inspect for missing or loose panels or shingles.
Exterior structures
For a mobile home to pass inspection, in most places, exterior structures cannot make contact with the mobile home. For example, if you have a deck, the deck can come up to the mobile home, but it cannot be attached to the mobile home otherwise the mobile home’s HUD compliant sticker is no longer valid. Any addition to a mobile home should be free-standing.
Professional inspection
Here are some things a mobile home inspector will look at.
Foundation
It’s wise to regularly inspect your mobile home’s foundation. This way you can catch problems before they inflict damage on the home. If the mobile home is not level or properly supported, the framing and other things such as plumbing will suffer.
Manufacturer’s sticker
This bit of information should be somewhere on your home. It validates the safe construction of your home. Without it, you cannot pass inspection or sell your mobile home to someone else. This sticker also contains the home’s VIN number.
Additions
Any additions you’ve made will fall under the scrutiny of a mobile home inspector. As we started in the section above, exterior structures must be free standing.
Structure
The inspector will look at the structure and identify things such as framing- if it’s still solid or not.
Roofing and gutters
The inspector will be able to assess the quality of your roofing installation and whether it is in danger of any nearby trees. If the gutters are not properly in place or if they require mending, the inspector will note that.
Electrical
He or she will look for fire hazards as they inspect your mobile home’s electrical work. Sparking and potentially a fire could come out of a poorly installed electrical component.
Heating and air conditioning
Heating and air will be tested for optimum performance for the units according to the house standards.
Sewer and waterline inspection
You’ll want to be sure that nature is not wreaking havoc on your sewage and water lines. An inspector will tell you if there’s a problem and what to do about it.
Gas line inspection
A gas line leak inspection could save a life. It can also save money. An inspector will be able to measure the pressure in the line to see if the gas is properly going through.
A useful checklist to keep on hand
There you have it — a mobile home inspection checklist to keep you busy and a step ahead of the home inspector.
For a mobile home park seasonal checklist, check this article out. We’re ready for fall, but is your mobile home park ready for fall?
About Dan Leighton
